Sam Konstas

A very gifted batter, Sam Konstas was handed his Sheffield Shield debut just weeks after his 18th birthday, scoring 10 and 23 in a low-scoring win over Tasmania.

A few months later and Konstas was a valued member of Australia’s victorious 2024 Under-19 World Cup team, with his tournament including a century against the West Indies.

Three promising Shield games to end the season saw Konstas’ contract upgraded to NSW’s main list, a nice pairing with his Sydney Thunder deal.

Konstas began the 2024-25 Sheffield Shield campaign with his maiden first-class century, a brilliant 152 against South Australia, then repeated the feat in the next innings to become the youngest player since Ricky Ponting to hit centuries in both innings of a Sheffield Shield match.

Elevated to the conversation for the 2024-25 Test series against India and featuring in a “bat-off” against vastly more experienced rivals for Australia A, Konstas then hit a century against the touring Indians for the Prime Minister’s XI and blazed his way into the record books for the Sydney Thunder with a whirlwind fifty on his KFC BBL debut.

He was called up to Australia’s Test squad for the 2024 Boxing Day Test at 19 years and 79 days, and made his debut as opener, receiving Baggy Green No.468 from former captain and fellow opener Mark Taylor.

His debut innings shocked the cricket world, launching a series of audacious ramp shots off World No.1 bowler Jasprit Bumrah as he posted 60 off 65 balls.